Do you really need a flagship phone? I compared the Galaxy S25 FE vs Galaxy S25 to find out

In any Samsung Galaxy S25 vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 FE comparison, the cheaper FE model is likely to come up short, though that's mostly by design. Samsung makes its FE models as lower-cost alternatives to its flagship Galaxy S phones, and that means scaling back on some key features. Anyone looking for the best Samsung phone on features alone would be well-advised to turn to the more premium Galaxy S instead of the FE.

But that's not to say the Galaxy S25 FE isn't the best choice for everybody. Depending on what you value in a phone, the FE could tick a lot of those boxes, making it a better choice for your specific needs.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at both the Galaxy S25 FE and the entry-level Galaxy S25 flagship that Samsung released at the start of the year. Are there instances where the FE makes more sense as your go-to phone or should you stick with Samsung's regular flagship phone?

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE vs. Samsung Galaxy S25: Specs

Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: Price

If you're on a set budget when buying a new phone, the choice is pretty clear. The Galaxy S25 FE costs less than the Galaxy S25, and is the better option for cost-conscious shoppers.

Specifically, the Galaxy S25 FE starts at $649 for a model that comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. You can upgrade to a 256GB model for $709. (As of this writing, a limited-time offer is dropping the price of the 256GB Galaxy S25 FE to $649, essentially allow you to double your storage.)

In contrast, the Galaxy S25 starts at $799 for a 128GB model with 12GB of RAM. You can pay an extra $60 to upgrade to 256GB.

Like the Galaxy S25, the Galaxy S25 FE receives seven years of software and security updates from Samsung, allowing you to extend the value of your purchase. Of course, the lower price of the FE comes with some serious trade-offs, as we'll discuss in the rest of this article.

Price winner: Galaxy S25 FE

Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: Display

If you're the sort who believes that bigger is better, the Galaxy S25 FE certainly appeals to that instinct. At 6.7 inches, the AMOLED panel on the FE looms over the Galaxy S25's 6.2-inch screen, and the cheaper phone offers a 120Hz refresh rate as well.

But I think there's more to displays than just size. You also want a panel that's visible even in bright sunlight, and this is an area where the Galaxy S25 FE simply doesn't measure up.

Our lab used a light meter to record a peak brightness of 1,133 nits for the Galaxy S25 FE. That's well short of the super bright 1,789-nit reading we got with the Galaxy S25. And the S25 recreates a higher percentage of the DCI-P3 color gamut as well, even if the colors are more accurate on the Galaxy S25 FE panel.

While I appreciate the extra screen real estate the S25 FE offers, it's not the phone I'd reach for if I wanted a bright, colorful display. This is one of the big trade-offs you'd make to get the cheaper phone.

Display winner: Galaxy S25

Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: Performance

Besides displays, the other big difference between the Galaxy S25 FE and its more premium sibling is the silicon Samsung uses in each phone. While the Galaxy S25 FE uses an older Exynos 2400 system-on-chip, the rest of the Galaxy S25 lineup turns to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which was Qualcomm's most advanced chipset at the time of the S25's release.

The benchmark results are quite stark. The Galaxy S25 beats the S25 FE by 36% in Geekbench's single-core test, while outpacing the cheaper phone by 40% in the multicore test. That means a more powerful CPU in the Galaxy S25 that's better equipped for multi-tasking, app switching and processor-intensive apps.

In graphics testing, the phones are a little bit more evenly matched, though the Galaxy S25 is still the better-performing device. On 3DMark's Solar Bay Unlimited test, the S25 churned out 43.4 frames per second, compared to the S25 FE's 32.7 fps score.

On basic tasks, either phone will be up to the job. But if you prefer graphically-intensive games and other demanding apps, the Galaxy S25 is the better option.

Performance winner: Galaxy S25

Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: AI Features

Samsung has put a lot of effort into bringing Galaxy AI features to its devices, and the S25 FE is just the latest example of that. In fact, many of the same AI tools that make the Galaxy S25 such an appealing device can also be found on the cheaper model.

That includes the Now Brief, a screen that summarizes your day ahead and adapts the information it surfaces over time to reflect your preference and behavior. You also get the writing assist tools and photo-editing features that characterize the Galaxy AI offerings on board the rest of Samsung's Galaxy S25 lineup.

We've talked about some of the sacrifices you need to make to get the Galaxy S25 FE for a lower price, but AI capabilities aren't on that list. And if having the latest AI capabilities on your phone is high on your wish list, the Galaxy S25 FE delivers at a cheaper cost than the S25.

AI winner: Galaxy S25 FE

Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: Cameras

One of the appeals of the Galaxy S25 FE is that it's a sub-$700 phone that still manages to offer a dedicated telephoto lens. The camera specs on the FE aren't as impressive as what you get from a regular Galaxy S25 — the 12MP zoom lens on the standard S25 has a higher resolution than the 10MP shooter the FE offers — but they're closer enough to deliver comparable images.

We haven't had a chance to compare the Galaxy S25 FE's camera output to photos shot by the Galaxy S25, though the FE did hold its own against the iPhone 17 and Pixel 10 when John Velasco did camera testing for his review. Essentially, the S25 FE cameras seem to perform about as well as the S25 did against those phones, with generally colorful shots, excellent dynamic range and even solid low-light performance. If there's an area where the Galaxy S25 FE comes up short, it's macro photos.

The higher resolution sensor powering the Galaxy S25's telephoto lens probably means sharper zooms than what the S25 FE can offer. But otherwise, you're making few trade-offs when it comes to camera performance by opting for the cheaper phone.

Camera winner: Tie

Galaxy S25 FE vs. Galaxy S25: Battery life

Maybe it's the power management capabilities of the Exynos 2400 silicon, but the Galaxy S25 FE turned in a disappointing time on our battery test, in which we time how long it takes for a phone to run out of power when surfing the web continuously.

The Galaxy S25 FE conked out after 9 hours and 46 minutes, about an hour worse than the average smartphone. Even worse for the purpose of our comparison, the Galaxy S25 lasted for more than 15 hours on that same test.

The Galaxy S25 FE does charge faster than the Galaxy S25, but that's not enough to make up for the shortfall in battery life, the biggest strike against Samsung's latest FE. If you want a phone with all-day battery life, paying up for the Galaxy S25 is the better option.

Battery winner: Galaxy S25

Verdict: Which Galaxy phone should you get?

A year ago, I could have easily recommended the Galaxy S24 FE over the standard S24, as it delivered a capable phone at a lower price. I can't say that about the Galaxy S25 FE, given the new model's lackluster display and disappointing battery life.

Even then, there's a case to be made for the Galaxy S25 FE over Samsung's more expensive flagship given that they share the same Galaxy AI features and that you're really not losing much on the camera front. That, combined with the lower price of the FE, will certainly make that model appealing to some shoppers who are willing to overlook the cheaper phone's flaws.

But a low price can only take you so far. The Galaxy S25 is the better choice if you're in the market for one of Samsung phones and can swing the extra $150 it will take to get the standard flagship.

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